Evelyn Kay Born:  March 7, 1923 Died:  March 12, 2002 KMA Shenandoah, IA KVOO Tulsa, OK KWTO Springfield, MO WHBF Rock Island, IL WTJS Jackson, TN

About The Artist Sometimes you find what you are looking for by finding the details of someone else in an artist's family. Such was the case for Evelyn Kay. In addition, she revealed in an article in the National HIllbilly News that Evelyn was her middle name. But she did not let on what her last name was. But the clue that helped was that her sister was 'Wanda' who married Ted Henderson and formed the team "Ted and Wanda." Evelyn wrote to Mr. and Mrs. Via and provided a brief bio. She wrote of her first three years in the radio entertainment business. That would tend to mean she started in 1942. She first worked with her sister and they were known as "The Smith Sisters." That makes sense as their real last name was indeed, Smith. She was Helen Evelyn Smith; her sister was Violet Wanda Smith. Their parents were Fred and Eliza Elizabeth (Evans) Smith. The 1930 census shows Fred as a farmer. They were living in Dallas County, MO at the time. Evelyn told readers that the first place they worked at was radio station KWTO in Springfield, MO. They worked with the Weaver Brothers and Elvirey on the "Korn's 'a Krackin" show that was popular at the time. She notes that they formed an all girl band that was dubbed "Hill-Billy Belles." The band had eight gals. Evelyn Kay Smith Violet Wanda Smith Boots Faye Bobby Faye Dora Schaffer Millie Sue Bybee Aunt Martha The group only lasted a few months and broke up. Evelyn went to radio station KMA in Shenandoah, IA with her sister Violet along with Boots Faye. The gals began working together at KMA and were known as "The Sunshine Trio." After six months at KMA, Boots left for California. Evelyn and her sister left the station a few weeks later and went to their home in Missouri. Soon, they left for KVOO in Tulsa, OK as guest stars, working with a group called "Sons of the Range." Later, they left Oklahoma and returned to Springfield. That is where and when her sister met Ted Henderson. It wasn't long before the three of them left for Jackson, TN and found work on radio station WTJS. Ted and Wanda got married in Corinth, MS. After the marriage, Ted and Wanda decided to work on their own. Evelyn made her way back to home in Missouri once again. She then went to Davenport, IA and found work at radio station WHBF in Rock Island, IL. That is where she changed her stage name to Evelyn Kay. She told readers she was five feet four inches tall with blond hair and blue eyes. She played the guitar, fiddle, mandolin and bass fiddle. In that short span of her career, she was at home in Urbana, MO, which is considered part of the Springfield metropolitan area. Credits & Sources A Short History of Evelyn Kay, A Smith Sister; October 1945; Vol. 1 No. 5; National Hillbilly News; O. W. Via, Publisher; Huntington, WV MySister and I - And With a Single Exception, They're Real SIsters Whose Songs Are Heard on So Many Programs These Days; March 1943; KWTO Dial; Springfield, MO